Speakers
Speakers from the TEDx Ironwood State Prison Event, May 2014 *Hakeem Oluseyi Astrophysicist, educator, and humanitarian TED Fellow Hakeem Oluseyi trounced race and class to become an important contributor to computer technology and space research. Back on Earth, he’s doing all he can to give young and underfunded scientists a chance to reach for the stars. *Sir Richard Branson Richard Branson bootstrapped his way from record-shop owner to head of the Virgin empire. Now he's focusing his boundless energy on encouraging his Virgin group of companies to employ people freshly released from prison, and even some who are still inside and working towards release. "Everybody deserves a second chance," he says. *Douglas Wood Douglas Wood is a program officer with the Ford Foundation, working on higher education issues with an emphasis on the needs of students from poor and marginalized communities in the United States. His grant making focuses on helping students transition from high school to college and improving the college completion rates of underserved students. *Dr. Robert K. Ross Robert K. Ross, M.D., is president and chief executive officer for The California Endowment, During his tenure, the foundation has focused on the health needs of underserved Californians by championing the cause of health coverage for all children, strengthening the capacity of community health centers, improving health services for farm worker and ex‐offender populations, and strengthening the pipeline for bringing racial and ethnic diversity to the health professions *Hill Harper He's best known for starring in hit TV shows like CSI: NY and Covert Affairs, but actor Hill Harper's most significant role may be off the screen. After writing several advice books, including the best-seller Letters to a Young Brother, Harper began receiving letters from young men in prison. He documents his relationship with one of them in his new book, Letters to an Incarcerated Brother. *Carmen Perez As Executive Director of Harry Belafonte’s social justice organization “The Gathering for Justice,” Carmen travels across the nation and internationally promoting peace, interconnectedness and alternatives to incarceration and violence while collaborating in national policy presentations. She has organized cultural, spiritual and educational events and provides support to individuals incarcerated in juvenile hall and inside California’s and New York’s prisons. *Lenore Anderson Lenore is an attorney with extensive experience working to improve our criminal justice system. She is a regular commentator in the media and at events about challenges within our prison and justice system and the smart justice policies and practices that can overcome those challenges. Before launching Californians for Safety and Justice, Lenore was Chief of Policy and Chief of the Alternative Programs Division at the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, where she spearheaded initiatives to reduce recidivism and improve public safety. *Gloria Bridget Gloria Bridget has been working in the Criminal Justice Field for over 10 years as a Case Manager for The Female Offender Treatment and Employment Program (FOTEP), Transitional Counselor for the Re-Entry program at Ironwood State Prison, and as well as a Motivational Speaker. She has assisted thousands of people, including offenders, change their lives and reintegrate into society. Category:Restorative Justice Category:Stories from the Outside